Famous preacher pledges allegiance with PPP

JAKARTA (JP): The loyalty of Zainuddin MZ, a well-known Moslem preacher whom political parties have fought for as a vote-getter, remains with the United Development Party (PPP), his son said Saturday.

Zainuddin, affectionately called "the preacher of millions of people" for the huge turnout he attracts, has been labeled a "Golkar propagator" because of his close relationship with the dominant political organization.

His son, Fikri Haikal, told 15,000 PPP supporters at a campaign in South Jakarta that Zainuddin's political loyalty was with the Moslem-based PPP.

"Speculation that he supports Golkar is untrue," he said.

Zainuddin had always been a staunch PPP supporter. He has not openly pledged allegiance to Golkar, but frequent public appearances with Golkar officials have made people suspect he has shifted allegiance.

His apparent closeness to Golkar has angered some PPP supporters. A PPP politician twisted his nickname into "preacher of a million rupiah" during a campaign in Semarang recently.

Fikri told reporters that his father's loyalty to PPP was "unquestionable".

"We have discussed the speculation about him shifting political loyalty to Golkar and he told me it was a lie," he said.

Zainuddin frequently made public appearances with dangdut singer Rhoma Irama, and with President Soeharto's eldest daughter Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana in her "Golkar consolidation" visits to Central and East Java cities long before the election campaign started.

Rhoma, also a former PPP supporter, has crossed over to Golkar and is now a Golkar legislative candidate for the Jakarta constituency.

Zainuddin has said he is neutral in his work, saying he would also accept request from the PPP and the PDI for religious services. (imn/wrw)